Buy Here Pay Here car dealers thrive amid hard times.

CaptionTiffany Lee

Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Tiffany Lee, a single mother of three worn out by two-hour bus rides to work, was desperate for a car. Unable to find a bank or dealership willing to offer her a loan, she went to Repossess Auto Sales.

Tiffany Lee, a single mother of three worn out by two-hour bus rides to work, was desperate for a car. Unable to find a bank or dealership willing to offer her a loan, she went to Repossess Auto Sales. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Repossess Auto Sales in Hawthorne and a sister lot have sold more than 130 vehicles at least three times each since 2008, according to California Department of Motor Vehicles records.

Repossess Auto Sales in Hawthorne and a sister lot have sold more than 130 vehicles at least three times each since 2008, according to California Department of Motor Vehicles records. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)